Makoto Nakamura
General Manager, Internal Auditing Department

Communication is important when taking long holidays

Taking a long holiday once a year is like an energy drink for your mind—it relives the fatigue that builds up every day and clears your head, enabling you to work with renewed motivation. Part of the fun is in the anticipation, in making plans about how to spend your precious time off. I do lots of different things, such as taking trips with my family and friends and going on horse riding camps. The kinds of things that are usually difficult to find time for.
Taking a long holiday keeps you healthy and vital, which helps you work better, and it also means precious time to spend with family and friends. If you communicate well with the people you work with and help each other out, there will already be a backup system in place for when you want to take a vacation. And covering for each other means everyone gets a better understanding of each other’s work, resulting in better performance for the whole organization. I hope that my colleagues and I, as business associates who have been fortunate enough to meet by pure chance, will continue to respect each other’s differences and enrich each other’s lives.

Kenji Shinmori
General Manager, Lifestyle & Retail Business Division

A Family Tradition—Spending Time at the Beach

It's our family policy to go to the beach every summer, so last year I took nine days off and we visited Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. The great thing about visiting a beach resort with your family is that you can have both the time to spend with your family and the time to relax on your own, listening to the sound of waves. I managed to relax at the beach, but the highlight of the trip was seeing proboscis monkeys, which live only in Kota Kinabalu. Seeing them up close was really exciting.
I used to be a typical Japanese businessman. I would take my summer vacation in separate bits because I was too concerned with my work. Eventually, I changed my ways and started to take longer vacations a few years ago. The way I now see it, it is very important to refresh yourself away from work in order to do a good job. I am planning on making an effort to take long holidays in other seasons of the year as well.

Seiichi Morimoto
Cable TV Department

Boy Scout Activities in Nature

I became involved with leading Boy Scout activities after my children joined the Scouts while I was stationed in the United Kingdom—the birthplace of the Scouts—in the early 1990s. I have continued with these activities even after returning to Japan, and every summer I take a group of Scouts on a camping trip. Last year we spent four days in the Kirifuri highlands.
The activities include cooking, games, handicrafts, and volunteer activities such as fund-raising and picking up trash, giving children of various ages the opportunity to work together voluntarily in a natural, outdoor setting.
For me, it is a time to get away from my routine. It's also mentally stimulating to have the opportunity to interact with adults from different industries and occupations, so I am really cherishing this aspect of my life as a way to refresh myself.

Tomoe Yoshioka
IPP & IWPP Department No.2

40°C Difference between Hokkaido and Okinawa

I aim to travel abroad twice a year, but for the past few years I have been unable to do so. Last summer, I enjoyed a domestic trip involving my friend’s wedding in Okinawa and then a planned visit to Asahikawa Zoo in Hokkaido, which was already booked for the same period, so I ended up visiting the two places one after the other. It was the end of September, so I experienced the first snow in the mountains at –10°C in Hokkaido during the first half of my trip, and then a beach resort at 30°C in Okinawa during the second half. Experiencing both winter and summer in the same week was truly unique.
At Asahikawa Zoo, I fulfilled my long-standing desire to see flying penguins, after which I drove around the eastern part of Hokkaido in a rented car. I had a great time visiting a number of onsen (hot spring spas). After flying to Okinawa, I spent my time relaxing on the beach and by the pool, which made it quite a luxurious trip for me. I was really satisfied with my summer vacation as I managed to enjoy the nature of both Hokkaido and Okinawa and really relax.

Aya Kawai
Tubular Business Department

Having a child has broadened my outlook and had a positive influence on my work.

Before I got pregnant, I went on overseas business trips, entertained important clients, and worked late. When I found out that I was going to have a baby, I decided to make the business trip that had been already set the last one. I continued working until my eighth month of pregnancy, having gained the understanding and cooperation of my boss and co-workers with regard to things such as absenting myself from business entertaining that was not absolutely necessary and using the office flextime system. There were a number of other employees at my workplace who had already taken child-care leave before, so I was able to take my leave without problems and with the understanding of the people around me. I also got a lot of useful advice.
Raising a child is tougher than I expected and it’s sometimes hard to both work and be a parent. However, having a child has broadened my outlook, such as building new connections within my local community, and I feel that these new experiences have a positive effect on my work too.
If I am offered a position overseas in the future, I would really like to respond positively. I think that both men and women considering an overseas assignment worry about whether they should take their families with them, and I wouldn’t be any different. I’d just have to make the decision at the time by thinking about how it would affect my family.

Junko Shimizu
Middle East & Africa Market Department, No.2

My balance of work and child rearing is supported by the company’s systems, understanding of the people around me and change in the my own way of thinking

Right after I got married, I told my boss that I would want to take child-care leave if the need arose. My boss therefore was not surprised when I told him I was pregnant, and began looking for a substitute immediately. During my leave, the company loaned me a work computer so that I could browse the company intranet and read my emails. This meant I could keep up to date with what was going on with both the company and my department.
Now I am back working in the same department as before I went on child-care leave and basically following the schedule outlined below. Our company has well-developed maternity and child-care leave systems and I think the people around me, including my boss, are quite understanding when an unexpected event occurs, like when my child gets sick. I used to be the kind of person who just takes things as they come, but since having a child my attitude toward time has undergone a bit of a transformation. In particular, after I came back to work, I began giving serious thought to how to increase my efficiency in order to get more done in the limited time available. It was also a great benefit to me to rediscover the fact that it is the help of the people around me that has made me what I am today and to thank them for it.

My weekday schedule

Takeshi Asada (and his daughter, Hikari)
Corporate Communications Department

Sukusuku Square brings a smile to the face of everyone in my family.

We had our second daughter, Midori, when our eldest daughter, Hikari, was 14 months old. Raising two daughters born just over a year apart was much tougher than we expected and so my wife and I talked about external support programs and decided to enroll Hikari into Sukusuku Square, Sumitomo Corporation’s daycare center.
It’s my job to take Hikari to the daycare center in the morning, so I commute to work pushing a baby carriage. I enjoy spending the time alone with her, usually talking about her favorite Disney characters. At the center, she seems to always stay close to the nursery staff, but I am amazed by how fast she is growing and maturing through socialization with her friends.
My wife collects Hikari from the daycare center at the end of the day. She sometimes picks up very useful advice about raising kids from the nursery and nutrition staff. Another benefit of the daycare center is that because Hikari is learning new things every day, her little sister, Midori, is also having her own imagination fired. For my family, our current balance is the ideal—it means we are all going through life with a smile.

Asako Wakabayashi (and her daughter, Sakura)
Sweeteners & Beverages Department

Both my child and I are very satisfied with the kindness of the teachers and the bright and open atmosphere of the nursery.

During my child-care leave, we applied to a nursery near where I live, but unfortunately drew an unlucky number. I was wondering what to do if we were unlucky again next year, when I heard about the opening of this nursery and decided to send my child here. I've been told that the triangle formed by work, nursery and home should be as small as possible, so I moved into the neighborhood when I returned to work. This was quite a big decision, but I am satisfied that I can walk to the office and nursery with a stroller. I appreciate my family's support for my decision, too. Sukusuku Square is new and clean. Both my child and I love its bright and open atmosphere. Nursery and nutrition staff are professionals, so I can count on them for child-care advice.

Shin Fukawa (and his son, Koei)
Housing & Urban Development Business Department

Riding on the train together in the morning has become an important time to interact with my child.

My morning commute has changed dramatically since my son started attending Sukusuku Square because now my wife and I take the train together with our son. Perhaps because all three of us are together, the commute is not as bad as I thought it would be, and more than anything, I am feeling happier everyday because I can spend time with my child every morning.
At the daycare, my son seems to have good time playing with teachers and other children. They celebrate seasonal events such as Christmas and the Dolls Day festival there, which is great for busy families with two working parents like ours. The children can enjoy themselves and leave with great memories. I managed to join in the Christmas party during my break and got to see a different side of my son from when we’re at home. Things like this are possible only because the daycare is located on the company premises and for that, I am grateful.

Kiichi Kimura
Line Pipe Business Department

Using the flextime system, I drop my child off at the daycare before going to work.

For me, the flextime system is a great help in achieving a good work-life balance. I use the system two or three times a week without any problem thanks to the understanding of my co-workers. My wife and I are both working, and I have the important job of taking our four-year-old to the daycare center in the morning. So my mornings are always extremely busy, and it’s great to be able to come to the office thirty minutes late. At the same time, I try hard to reduce my overtime hours. Although there are busy times when I have to do overtime, I have managed to cut back my overtime hours a lot by applying the skills I learned in the time management training. This gives me time to do things on weekday evenings. In addition to spending time with my family, I do things I enjoy like studying foreign languages, reading books, watching TV, playing musical instruments, practicing Shigin (chanting of Chinese poems), eating out with friends, doing muscle training and jogging. When I do things I enjoy outside work hours, I feel more energized and can put in a good day’s work the next day.

Kuniharu Nakamura
General Manager, Mineral Resources, Energy, Chemical & Electronics Business Unit

Once a month, I take a day off to have a three-day weekend and go to a hot spring resort.

I like to go to hot spring resorts to see the cherry blossoms in spring, fireworks in summer, and colored leaves in autumn, so I have been taking a day off once a month for more than 10 years. If I have three or four consecutive holidays, I can travel quite a long way away. To plan my days off, every December, when the year-round schedule of important office meetings for the next year is decided, I also decide my annual holiday schedule for the next year. I forecast when the cherry trees will come into bloom and check the schedule of fireworks displays and the season for autumn leaves. Based on these dates, I make reservations at hotels and Japanese inns.
I think that the essence of a good work-life balance is the enrichment of both work and private time. Instead of thinking “I will try and do it when I can spare the time,” or “I will do it after I retire,” I make it a policy to seize the day.

Ayako Sato
Automotive Manufacturing Business Department

My hobby developed into a qualification, which has given me more confidence in my work.

I qualified as an industrial counselor last year because I thought that getting a better understanding of mental health in general would help me to take better care of my own mental and physical health. I also thought that if I learned how to be a counselor, I would be able to improve my communication skills. I also enjoy cooking and eating out at different restaurants, which led me to become a Junior Vegetable Sommelier, a qualification offered by the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association. You could say I have mastered both the mind and food, two things that are closely tied in with our daily lives.
At the company to which I have been temporarily transferred, I’m responsible for writing a column for the email newsletter, which has a readership of about 40,000 people. When I write about the mind and food, I get a great response from readers, which gives me confidence in my work. I really feel that trying something new has helped me grow as a person and enriched both my work and my life.

Asako Matsuda
Inorganic Chemicals and Industrial Minerals Department

With support from my colleagues, I am striking a balance between child rearing and work while fighting the clock.

For me, a good work-life balance is all about striking a balance between work and child rearing. My family consists of three people: me, my husband, and our daughter, who is in second grade at school. At the moment, I leave home with my daughter, arrive at the office thirty minutes early and, if I finish all my work on time, leave thirty minutes early. Although I am pressed for time every day, I enjoy being able to move between the two worlds of work and parenting. Even at times when I have a hard day at work, I go home and feel comforted and encouraged. On the other hand, when I have problems with my daughter, work makes for a refreshing change. Over the past year, both my daughter and I have gotten used to elementary school life. Therefore, this year, her second year at school, I want to actively take part in school events. In my efforts to do more in my two worlds, I am always fighting against the clock. But I’m determined to keep at it.

Masaru Nakamura
General Manager for Europe

I have rediscovered the hobbies of my school days, and it has a good impact on my work.

Three years ago, I resumed lessons in Noh chanting and shimai dance, which I did during my school days. For the first 30 years after I joined the company, I lived only for my work. I look back now and realize that this was a mistake. When I was manager of the Tubular Products Division, I increased the number of workers by a considerable amount in a few years and really pushed for the reduction of overtime and the use of paid leave. As a result, employee awareness has changed markedly. I always say that “Good work is impossible without support from our families and ourselves. We should think about how to increase productivity and profits without sacrificing our families and ourselves.” Initially, I got back into my old hobbies again because I thought I’d better practice what I preached. But once I started the lessons, I found I was having a lot of fun. I’m sure that my hobbies also have a positive impact on my work.

Jun Minase
IPP & IWPP Department, No.2

I try my best (but not too hard) to enrich my private life

If I were asked the appropriate ratio of work time to private time—it would be a difficult question. To be honest, I have scarcely been aware of my work-life balance. I’m often overseas for work and even when I’m not, it’s not uncommon that my children are already in bed when I come home. Being so busy, I try to do one thing, which is to remember that no one else can fill in for me at home. Therefore, I always make sure I spend some time with my family every day. To do this, I have no choice but to get up early. It’s tough when I don’t get enough sleep, but my family appreciates me being their alarm clock. When I play catch with my son before he goes to school in the morning, it’s not altogether displeasing to slip into the self-complacent thinking of “What a nice father I am!”

Hisao Takashima
Sumitomo Corporation do Brasil S.A.

Achieving a good work-life balance together with my family

This is my third job relocation to Brazil. When my children were small, I took the lead by acting the role of a “reliable father” helping my family with language and security problems, and tried to spend a lot of time with my family. Living in a foreign country, everyday life—household duties, school, etc.—can be stressful for each member of the family. Therefore, it’s not only your own work-life balance, but also your family’s work-life balance that’s very important. To let us all both physically and mentally relax, I took my family on long vacations as much as I could, visiting different places in Brazil and other South American countries in order to experience the amazing nature on offer. I feel that our family bonded more because of these trips.
Now it’s just me and my wife living in Brazil. Whenever possible, I try not to make plans on my days off as both my wife and I like to just take it easy and spend the day on “Brazilian time,” which is nice and slow.